Warrior, Hero, Saviour
by sjshark23
Summary: Another novelized version of "Ocarina of Time".
1. Prologue

** Hi and hello, Legend of Zelda fans! This is SJShark23 bringing you yet another novelization of _The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time_. Yes, I know there's a million of these out there, but I wanted to test the waters here and give something like this a shot. Fingers crossed and here we go!**

**Disclaimer: I claim no ownership to _The Legend of Zelda_ or any related material; _The Legend of Zelda_ is the property of Nintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto.**

* * *

**WARRIOR, HERO, SAVIOUR**

**CHAPTER 1: PROLOGUE**

* * *

_ A woman rides into the forest, wounded and clearly struggling to stay on her horse. One hand holds the reins; the other supports her infant child, a boy, wrapped tightly in a bundle of blankets. She dares not look back, for any pursuers might catch her if she hesitates. As she reaches a small clearing, the pain overcomes her, and she falls off the horse. She utters no sound as she hits the forest floor, nor does her child. The last thing she sees before she blacks out is several dark shapes approaching her._

* * *

Seven diminutive figures emerged from the forest, one by one, each with a disembodied shining light floating next to them that upon closer inspection would be identified as fairies. All were dressed in green tunics or dresses, with matching caps or hairbands. The curious thing was that they were all children, no taller than a Deku Scrub and looking no older than ten or eleven summers. The Kokiri were a fey, enigmatic race; they never left their forest home, were always followed by their guardian fairies, and their eternal youth was unusual for any race that populated Hyrule.

As they reached the fallen Hylian woman , one of the small figures seized the horse's reins to prevent it from running away. Another knelt down beside the woman and looked at the dampened fabric of her dress, stained red in places from her wounds; her fairy also checked the woman's condition, flitting back and forth to illuminate her still form. The others stood by and kept watch for any forest creatures; anything could emerge from those trees, so close were they to the forest's edge. One of the figures, a girl with bright green hair, spoke to the others.

"She's been badly hurt. We must get her back to the village quickly!" The girl examined the woman's injuries as she spoke, careful not to aggravate them.

"Why?" a second one with a tuft of red hair poking from under his cap responded, with the consequence of his own fairy shouting indignantly at him. "It's not our job to take care of every outsider that wanders into our forest, Saria. Let her own people find her and help her; we Kokiri shouldn't get involved with the affairs of outsiders."

"Mido, how can you be so mean?" a third figure asked with obvious annoyance. "You just want to leave her here like this? She's probably going to die if we don't help her!"

"And she's got a baby with her," added the green-haired Saria, as she found a bundle under the woman's left arm. "Now we _must_ get them back to the village; she needs aid for her wounds, and we need to make sure this child is alright."

"Well...if we must," Mido conceded the point reluctantly. "As Boss of the Kokiri, I must respect what the other Kokiri have to say...within reason."

"Boss or not, you need help us move her, NOW!" Saria shouted at him, urgency entering her voice. "She's not going to get any better by us arguing!" The other Kokiri scurried to help Saria, managing somehow to get the woman to lie sideways across the horse's back. The Kokiri holding the reins began to lead the horse towards the village, while Saria lifted the child from the ground. "I'll take care of this little one for now."

The rest of the Kokiri living in the small forest village rushed from their homes as their friends returned. At the sight of the horse and the injured woman, they cried out in shock and terror; they had seen a few Hylians in the forest, usually lost travellers, but had never seen one hurt like this. Several of the stronger Kokiri helped get the woman off the horse and carried her carefully into Saria's house; she was something of a motherly figure to the village, and therefore her home was the best place to take the wounded Hylian.

Saria followed the others into the house, carrying the woman's child in her arms. The infant had somehow not woken up after all the commotion, and she laid him on her own bed, watching him sleep. One of the Know-It-All Brothers had come to see what the fuss was about, and Saria gave him stern instructions to watch over the baby without waking him up. The usually overconfident Kokiri, his eyes hidden by a mop of rust-brown hair, nodded solemnly and sat on a tree stump next to the bed, intently watching the small boy. Saria took one more look at the child, and then turned to the woman.

"Help me get this dress off her," she ordered two of the nearby Kokiri, and they did their best to obey Saria while respecting the woman's modesty. Saria examined the many slashes and cuts on the woman's body, shook her head sadly, and called for several healing substances.

"We must try to clean these cuts out and prevent any further damage," she said, even though her examination had been less than positive. The woman had clearly been riding for a while after being wounded; she would likely not survive for more than a day, or even for the next few hours. Still, Saria felt they had to try; she never liked to abandon anyone, whether a Kokiri looking for advice or an outsider trying to find their way through the forest.

The Kokiri Saria had sent brought the healing supplies, most of them herbal medicines and bandages, and the green-haired Kokiri began to clean and dress the woman's injuries. The woman stirred, and the surrounding fairy children jumped in surprise. Her eyes opened, and she looked upon Saria with widening eyes.

"You...it was you I saw approaching..." she said weakly, barely able to retain consciousness. "You found us...and you brought us here...I had heard tales of your race, but..." She paused, the words clearly paining her. "But I had no idea...that you would show such kindness...to outsiders..." Saria took the woman's hand in hers and smiled.

"We're doing what we can to help you. Please, save your strength. Don't try to say anymore. You're in good hands now. We'll take care of you." The woman smiled back, and then her face became worried.

"Where is my child?" she asked, trying in vain to look around. "I hope he hasn't been found by...by those warriors. Those black-armored warriors who attacked us..."

"He's over there," Saria answered, gesturing towards the bed. "He's been asleep since we found you. We will watch over him as well. Now please, try to rest. You're in bad shape." The woman, relieved that her baby boy had not been hurt, fell unconscious again, and the Kokiri continued to try and help her.

* * *

Hours later, the Kokiri came to the sad conclusion that the woman could not be saved by any of their methods. A council was called, and all of them, even Mido, decided that they would take her to the Great Deku Tree to see if the forest's guardian spirit could help. Carefully, they helped the woman onto her horse and rode through a narrow forest corridor to the gigantic tree, which stood in a secluded grotto not too far from the village. The woman got off gingerly, and stood before the great tree, whose trunk was marked by growths that could, if one looked hard enough, resemble a humanoid face.

"Welcome, outsider." The spirit within the tree spoke with a deep, even voice, one that exuded calm throughout the clearing. "These children of the forest, whom I watch over, hath told me of thy plight. I regret to say that even my power is useless to help thee. I am sorry."

"I...I knew it would likely be impossible, honored spirit..." The woman was having difficulty speaking now, knowing that she was nearing the end. "I thank you and the children of the forest for rescuing me, and especially my child." The tree murmured in acknowledgement, then spoke again.

"We doth feel compelled to help anyone in need, my friend," the spirit said, and the woman nodded weakly. The spirit read uncertainty in the gesture, despite the woman's undoubted gratitude. "Something troubles you?"

"Yes, honored spirit," the woman answered, her voice thin. "It is...it is difficult to say what it is, but..."

"If it is not objectionable, I have a method of discovering what is wrong. May I?" The woman considered, then nodded. The Deku Tree reached out with his spirit sense, forming a psychic bond with the woman's mind, and read the images within:

_ Massed armies, fighting viciously and attacking anyone nearby. No effort made to discern soldier from civilian. People running from these warriors, desperately trying to escape the violence. A woman running from a group of black-armored soldiers, shielding her child despite being severely wounded..._

The tree broke the psychic link then, and the woman choked out her next words.

"Please...honored spirit...take my child and...and raise him among the children of the forest. I would never forgive myself...if he became another victim of this bloody war...it has rent Hyrule asunder..."

"It shall be done as thou wish." the Deku Tree reassured her, feeling her life force ebb away slowly. "But pray, tell me, what of a name for your child? Surely thou shalt not forgo the parental honor of naming this boy?"

"His father and I...thought hard about just that," the woman said, visibly struggling to form the words. "We decided...we believed...that he had solidified the bond we shared, and named our child as such. Link...the boy's name is Link."

"An appropriate name. He hath brought a Hylian outsider together with the children of the forest, however brief that connection might be. I do sense that your son shall be a child of destiny; he shall help change the future of our great land of Hyrule. We will keep watch over him, and no harm shall come to him. You have my word." The woman smiled as the Deku Tree finished this pronouncement, and spoke her last, pained words.

"That's...good enough...for me..." The woman coughed several times, let out a ragged final breath, and lay still. The Kokiri standing around the grotto were visibly upset, and several of them cried out in despair; although they were nearly immortal, the other living things in the Kokiri Forest were not, and despite the Deku Tree's reassurances, mourned whenever something in the forest died. It pained them to see this woman, this brave outsider, lose the battle for her own life. Saria wiped tears from her eyes and took command of the situation.

"Alright, this has to be done quickly. Fado," she said, addressing a blonde-haired girl to her left, "get to the Kokiri Shop and tell them to get to work. We need a box to bury this woman in. You two!" Two more Kokiri snapped to attention as Saria called them. "Once that box is done, get digging. We've got a lot of work to do." The two boys nodded and rushed away, leaving just Saria and Mido.

"So...she's really gone, huh?" Mido was still shaken by the Deku Tree's words. "How can a child make any difference to Hyrule? No Kokiri has ever left the Forest, they'll die if they do."

"It's not up to us to find out," Saria told him sadly, looking on the woman's still form. "Destiny is something that no-one can figure out. It'll be up to him in the end." With this thought, the two Kokiri helped those who remained in the grotto to move the woman's body, and prepared to lay her to rest.

* * *

A long way away, a green-skinned figure in black armor led his forces past the gates of Hyrule Castle Town, and stopped to gaze at the tremendous barricade. For years the fighting and sieges had raged, and none knew whether or not the city would fall. Thousands had died on both sides of the fighting, and this man had been responsible for many of those deaths. Ganondorf narrowed his eyes as he remembered that this was a delay in his grand plot, but then relaxed as he reasoned with himself. War was a messy affair, but he had to let the conflict finish so he could continue his evil aspirations. This Civil War was a nuisance, but it had to be fought, and he had to ensure things were within his control before he acted. Only then could his plans come to fruition.

"The Sacred Realm," he breathed, as he stared at the great fortress beyond the walls. "I will find you, and I will rule you...whatever it takes."

* * *

**So ends Chapter 1. How was it? Any good? Lousy? Something in between? Let me ****know! Any feedback is appreciated, and will help me gauge the reactions to this project.**


	2. The Boy Without a Fairy

**Alright, since the prologue set the story in motion, here's the first proper chapter of **_**Warrior, Hero, Saviour.**_** So far the reaction to this project has been decent, so here's to further success! Here we go!**

** Disclaimer: I claim no ownership to _The Legend of Zelda_ or any related material; _The Legend of Zelda_ is the property of Nintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto.**

* * *

**WARRIOR, HERO, SAVIOUR**

**CHAPTER 2: THE BOY WITHOUT A FAIRY**

* * *

_ Storm clouds fill the darkened sky, threatening to drown the land with torrential rain. Lightning flashes intermittently, searing the gaze of anyone foolish enough to stare at the skies for too long. A dark shape rushes by, carrying two other silhouettes with it. As the shadows disappear into the gathering darkness, the next thing that appears is a towering figure with dark armor astride a night-black steed, readying a burst of dark magic..._

* * *

Link woke with a start, looking frantically in the darkness for any disturbance. The same vision had plagued him for weeks, and he could never fully ascertain the identity of any of the silhouettes present. He had lived in Kokiri Forest all his life, and never had he experienced something like this.

He calmed himself down and looked around his small room. Like most of the Kokiri, he had built his house in one of the trees, but his house was much different. His was not _literally_ a tree-house: instead of hollowing the trunk, he had found a thinner tree than most and built a house on top of it. Building the house had taken a while, but his ingenuity and strength, both highly unusual for a child of the forest, had helped him pull it off.

Being unusual was something Link had had to get used to. He knew that he wasn't like the rest of the Kokiri; for one thing, he was much bigger than the others, and not as childishly curious as they were. As a result, he usually found himself helping with the more physically taxing work in the Forest, carrying logs, rocks and various other heavy things. The other Kokiri also didn't have to deal with these nightmares, and Link envied them for that. Why did _he_ have to lose sleep every night, dealing with these troublesome visions, while the rest of the Forest could rest in relative peace? It made no sense to him at all.

Link sighed and lay back on his bed; the forest was still locked in sleep, and the dawn was still hours away. As he drifted off to sleep, he recalled the dark figure that had haunted his nightmares for weeks, and shivered as he finally passed out...

* * *

Morning came with a slightly muted dawn, clouds intermittently crossing in front of the sun. As the sun rose over the forest, the Kokiri began to awaken and prepare for another day. Some headed out to gather Deku sticks and nuts to be sold at the Kokiri Shop, while others simply worked on keeping the village neat by cutting the grass. All of this was overseen to a point by Mido, who always took up a vantage point at the entrance to the Deku Tree's clearing, glaring haughtily at anyone who dared to meet his gaze. The other Kokiri rarely challenged him, such was his assumed authority.

As Link awoke and looked over towards the Deku Tree's clearing, his eyes narrowed; he and Mido didn't get along very well. Mido always treated Link badly, and always reacted angrily when Link pointed out that despite being the self-styled Big Boss of the Kokiri, he rarely ever did any actual work in the village. Mido's general response was a snarl and an attempt to hit Link, but these attempts usually ended with the red-haired Kokiri on the ground. That didn't dissuade Mido from bothering him, though.

As he reached the ledge at the doorway of his house, he saw Saria running towards him. Of the Kokiri, Saria was the one who knew him best, and was his best friend—no, his _only_ friend—in the village: the others wouldn't dare befriend him, for fear of Mido getting on their case. He climbed down a ladder to meet her, all the while thinking about what he might do today.'

"Hi, Link!" Saria said breathlessly as she reached the house, a bright smile on her face. Her fairy flitted from one side to another, a constant companion for the Kokiri girl.

"Hey, Saria," Link answered as he adjusted his hat. Unlike Saria, he had no fairy at his side, another detail that made him unusual. No-one had ever explained why, but he wished that someday a fairy would come to him; at least it would shut Mido up. "What's up?"

"Oh, not much. Mido's being Mido, of course, and the shopkeeper is having trouble getting certain supplies because the Deku Babas near the Deku Tree's grotto are more aggressive than usual."

"Why not ask Mido to get them?" Link asked bitterly. "He spends all his time near there anyway, why doesn't he do something useful for a change?"

"I don't know, Link. Some people just like to order others around. Don't let Mido get to you; he's only jealous because you're so much bigger and stronger than he is."

"I guess so. Is there anything else that needs to be done around here?"

"Well, there's a bunch of rocks near the Lost Woods. Why not go break them up? It'll be something to do, if nothing else."

"Why not?" Link answered, not thrilled at the prospect of going near the Lost Woods; he'd heard a lot of weird stories about the place. Then he considered; if he didn't do the job, it might take the whole village. "Who knows, the shop might be able to use them once they're busted."

"That's the spirit," Saria said with a smile. "Listen, I've got to go back home and get some work done myself, but we can talk later when things quiet down. Why not grab the Twins, they're always ready to break stuff."

"Okay, sounds good." Link waved to Saria as she hurried away, then sighed deeply and started the walk over to the Twins' house, hoping that they'd be willing to help him out.

* * *

Later on, Link grunted heavily as he tossed another rock aside, watching as it hit the ground and broke into pieces. The pile of rocks had taken him nearly the entire day to deal with, but the heavy work was satisfying in a way. He hadn't had one thought about the visions that had kept him awake, and was hoping the vigorous exercise would make it easier for him to fall asleep. As the Twins—identical-looking Kokiri who lived next door to Saria, near the Deku Tree's clearing—helped clear the last of the broken rocks away, Link saw Mido walking towards him. The Big Boss had his usual scowl on today, and Link sighed as he steeled himself for yet another confrontation.

"So, you got those rocks busted, huh?" Mido asked, kicking a stray chunk away. "Well, not bad for a fairly-less loser. How does it feel to be different, huh? Does it hurt to know you'll never truly be one of us?"

"Save it, Mido," Link shot back, hoping to get away before things escalated again; then, a red mist clouded his thoughts, and he decided he'd get the argument over with. "At least I did something today; you just stood near the clearing and watched everyone else work. If you're such a great Boss, why not show everybody instead of being all talk?"

Mido's eyes narrowed as he worked out what Link had said. He walked over and pushed his face into Link's.

"What did you say to me?" he snarled, his buck teeth bared.

"I said, why not _act_ like a Boss instead of _talking_ about being the Boss?" Link had had enough of Mido pushing him around. He wasn't afraid of the smaller Kokiri, Big Boss or not.

"Well, how about I start _now_?" Mido shoved Link back, and Link nearly fell into a nearby pile of broken rock. Link got up and laughed. Nearby, Saria had arrived, and looked with horror at what was going on.

"Link, Mido, stop this right now! You can't fight like this every time you see each other!" Link vaguely heard Saria's words, but didn't care. It was time Mido was put in his place.

"You call that a push, Mido? That was pitiful! A Boss like you should be tougher than that!" Mido yelled in anger and ran at Link, who stood firm. As Mido approached, flailing his arms wildly, Link neatly sidestepped him and stuck out a leg. The Boss of the Kokiri tripped and went flying into a nearby patch of grass. Link turned to face his enemy and folded his arms, waiting for Mido's response. Mido stood up and glared at Link with hate.

"Whatever! You're still a loser with no fairy! Deal with that, wimp! You'll never be one of us! You'll never be a true Kokiri!" With these stinging words, Mido stalked towards his house, leaving Link alone with Saria, who was beside herself.

"Link, you really mustn't let Mido bother you like that! You two always fight when you're near one another, and it has to stop! You act like children!" Link sheepishly let his shoulders drop; Saria was right, he couldn't fight with Mido. Not only was Saria upset, but the Great Deku Tree would never approve of two children of the forest fighting.

"I'm sorry, Saria. I don't know why we can't stand one another, really. It just seems to me that the only way to deal with bullies like him is to beat them and scare them out of bothering people."

"Well, you should realize that violence is never the answer. Mido may act like a big bully, but he's not as big and strong as you are. You could really hurt someone, and that would never do."

"I know. I'll try to handle it better next time."

"That's good. Now, why don't we go back to my house and have some Deku-leaf tea? You must be tired after throwing all those rocks around."

"Sounds like a plan." Link said, and the two friends headed down the road from the Woods back to Saria's home.

* * *

That night, while the Kokiri Forest slept, a shadowy figure slipped through the village and headed for the Deku Tree's grotto. The figure took care not to make any sound, because any noise would alert the forest-dwellers to his presence, and he couldn't afford anyone knowing he was there. Deku Babas popped up as he passed, but one wave of his hand sent them back into the ground. Eventually, he reached the wide clearing where the Deku Tree stood, and defiantly called the spirit's name. The Deku Tree observed the newcomer, and then spoke.

"Who art thou, who cometh into my hollow? What business doth thou have here?"

"I am here to claim something that belongs to these simple-minded folk, you weak-minded fool." The stranger's voice was deep, and had a sinister tone to it.

"What something is this? I knoweth of nothing that might interest thee here."

"The jewel, tree. The Kokiri Emerald, the Spiritual Stone of the Forest, a key to the Sacred Realm. You will give it to me, or you will suffer."

"Thou art pure evil. Thou art the dark warrior-mage from the desert, the one who shall bring chaos to the land of Hyrule. This shall not be so. Thou shalt get nothing from me, man of the desert. I shall take any suffering thou chooseth to visit upon me."

"So be it. You will be cursed with the most virulent parasite I could find to deal with you. The creature will kill you, and then I will return and take what is mine. But, I am loathe to curse such an old and dignified spirit as yourself. Therefore, I will offer you mercy. I will give you one last chance to surrender the Kokiri Emerald freely."

"Thou hast my answer." the tree answered, refusing to give this evil stranger what he demanded. "I shall die before giving the Kokiri Emerald to the likes of you."

"Then you have signed your death wish, spirit!" The stranger took a small jar from his traveling cloak and hurled it at the tree's roots. The jar shattered, and a small, spider-like creature scuttled from her sanctuary and burrowed into the ground, seeking the deepest root of all to make a nest. "You should count yourself fortunate. There are other monstrous creatures that would prolong your suffering. Instead, the creature within you will nest and rapidly sap your life force. She will need to nourish her children after all, and they are insatiable. The creature herself will grow rapidly, thanks to my magic, and you will die within two days. Then, I will claim the Kokiri Emerald from your chewed-out remains, and I will rule this land! Farewell, spirit of the forest. Enjoy your last days." The vicious stranger turned on his heel and left the grotto, preparing to set the rest of his plan in motion.

* * *

The Deku Tree watched the stranger leave, feeling the creature within him already chewing through his roots, seeking sustenance, killing him. Though a hardy spirit, having survived for hundreds of years, the Deku Tree knew this was surely the end. It was time to call upon the child of destiny: the warrior who would fight the forces of evil, the hero who would protect the balance of the world, and the saviour of the vast land of Hyrule. He decided to call on the one forest denizen who could help this child along the way, a friend older than most inhabitants of the Kokiri Forest. The Deku Tree called out, his psychic sense already faltering.

"Navi...Navi, where art thou? Come hither..."

* * *

**Alright, that's all for this chapter, folks! I tried not to force too many events into this one, but I figured I'd describe a normal day before diving into the real plotline. Next time we'll actually get into the actual story, so don't forget to look out for the next chapter!**


	3. Meeting the Deku Tree

**Alright, folks, here's Chapter 3! Today, a certain inhabitant of the Kokiri Forest receives the call to arms and begins his journey towards destiny. Here we go!**

**Disclaimer: I claim no ownership to **_**The Legend of Zelda **_**or any related material; **_**The Legend of Zelda **_**is the property of Nintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto.**

* * *

** WARRIOR, HERO, SAVIOUR**

** CHAPTER 3: MEETING THE DEKU TREE**

* * *

_A dark warrior from the desert rides across the fields, instigating terrible events that threaten to destroy the land. His purpose is clear, his intent wicked. He will not rest until both the land and the immaterial are under his control. The corruption of Hyrule has begun, and none can halt it._

A solitary ball of light flew towards the Deku Tree, having heard his psychic call. It cut as close to the trees as it dared, such was its haste to get to the guardian spirit's clearing. The dawn was breaking, and the tree was obviously in distress. The truly worrying thing was the suddenness of the call; never had the spirit been in such pain, and never had it come on so quickly. Navi the fairy feared for her friend's life, and wanted to quickly discover what was wrong.

She raced through the natural corridor to the grotto, ignoring the Deku Babas as they snapped at her heels. As she entered the hollow, she hurtled towards the Deku Tree's massive trunk, and stopped just short of crashing into the spirit's "face". Navi flew back a bit so the tree could see her, and steadied herself before she spoke.

"I'm here, Great Deku Tree! What's wrong? You sound like you're in real pain!"

"Oh, Navi the fairy..." The tree was pleased to see that the fairy had responded so quickly; this was more urgent than ever. Still, his words came slowly and with great pain. "Listen to my words, the words of the Deku Tree. Dost thou sense it? The climate of evil descending upon this realm...malevolent forces even now are mustering to attack our land of Hyrule."

"But they can't get us here!" Navi protested, not fully believing what the ancient spirit was saying. "No enemy has entered the Forest for centuries!"

"For so long, the Kokiri Forest, the source of life, has stood as a barrier, deterring outsiders and maintaining the order of the world."

"Then we should be safe! What can possibly happen? And you still haven't told me what's wrong..."

"But..." the Deku Tree continued, cutting her protests short, "before this tremendous evil power, even my power is as nothing."

Navi was stunned. The Great Deku Tree was among the oldest spirits in the world, keeping the Forest safe and acting as guardian of the children of the forest. For him to admit that his power was useless couldn't be believed.

"It seems," the spirit went on, "the time has come for the boy without a fairy to begin his journey. The youth whose destiny it is to lead Hyrule to the path of justice and truth. Navi..."

"Yes? I'm still here, Great Deku Tree."

"Go now! Find our young friend and guide him to me. I do not have much time left."

"What do you mean?" Navi cried, despairing about the spirit's condition. "You didn't tell me what happened to you!"

"Fly, Navi, fly!" The Deku Tree knew that Navi would pester him until he told her what she wanted to know, and there wasn't time to explain.

"The fate of the forest, nay, the _world_, depends upon thee!"

* * *

Hearing the Deku Tree say that caused Navi to forget about her concern and focus, single-mindedly, on finding the boy without a fairy. She rushed back down the path from the grotto, flying under a sour-faced Kokiri who was now guarding the entrance. She circled the small Kokiri village, occasionally flitting close to some of the diminutive inhabitants. One was sitting on the arch over the Kokiri Shop's entrance, while another was foolishly trying to lift a rock that was clearly too heavy for him. As Navi scanned the area, she saw a house resting on top of a thin tree's branches, and decided that it must be the house she was looking for. She flew towards the house, bumping into an intervening fence along the way, and then continued on. A sign near the base of the tree read _Link's house_, and she noted this so she wouldn't have to ask his name. As she entered, she saw a boy lying on a small bed in the corner, and knew she had found her target.

"Hello, Link! Wake up!" she called, hoping to wake the boy up. "The Great Deku Tree wants to talk to you. Link, get up!" All this served to do was make Link roll over in bed, and Navi lost patience.

"Hey! C'mon!" Navi flitted up and down, trying to rouse Link from his slumber. "Can Hyrule's destiny really depend on such a lazy boy?" she added to herself, already forming doubts about his ability to help Hyrule's cause.

Link finally woke up, yawning heavily as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He turned and saw the fairy floating a few feet away, and moved to sit on the edge of his bed, looking at her with a quizzical expression.

"You finally woke up!" Navi said, relieved that this hadn't taken longer. "I'm Navi the fairy! The Great Deku Tree asked me to be your partner from now on! Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you, too." Link answered, still stunned by this intrusion. If this was really happening, he'd finally have his own guardian fairy, just like the other Kokiri. It might not stop Mido from bothering him, but it would bump up his own spirits. "So, why're you here all of a sudden? A fairy hasn't come to me in years, so it's kinda weird to have one show up now."

"That will be revealed in due time. Anyway, the Great Deku Tree has summoned you! So, let's get going, right now!" Link couldn't believe it. He finally had a fairy, and now the guardian spirit of the forest wanted to talk to him of all people. To think just yesterday he was breaking rocks and being taunted by Mido!

"All right, let's go. I've never spoken to the Deku Tree before. I wonder what he wants with me?"

* * *

As Link walked towards the ladder outside his house, he saw the familiar sight of Saria running towards him. He was happy to see her, especially since she'd be the first to see his fairy. The thought warmed his heart.

"Yahoo!" she called, waving. "Hi, Link!" Link waved back and hurried down the ladder to meet her, Navi in tow. Saria's eyes widened as she looked, and then her smiled widened even more.

"Wow, a fairy!" she cried, watching as Navi flew back and forth behind his head. "Finally, a fairy came to you, Link!"

"My name is Navi," the fairy told her, continuing to float around. "I have been entrusted with being Link's partner from now on."

"Wow! That's great news! I'm so happy for you! Now you're a true Kokiri, Link!"

"It gets better," Link said, smiling himself. "The Great Deku Tree wants to see me for some reason."

"Is that right? The Great Deku Tree has summoned you?" Saria knew what it was like, but decided not to tell Link that. "It's quite an honour to talk to the Great Deku Tree."

"Well, I'm glad he considers me worthy of it." Link answered, knowing he'd have to get past Mido to even get close to the Deku Tree. "Let's hope it's worth all this trouble."

"I'll wait for you here." Saria said, indicating that Link should go. "Get going! Go see the Great Deku Tree!"

"Alright then. Meet you back here later." Link hurried along until he reached Mido's vantage point in front of the Deku Tree's clearing. As he tried to walk past, Mido blocked his way.

"Hey, you! Mr. No-Fairy!" Mido's tone was as nasty as ever, and he was looking more pompous than usual. "What's your business with the Great Deku Tree? Without a fairy, you're not even a real man!" As if on cue, Navi flitted out from behind Link's head and flew towards Mido, causing the smaller Kokiri to take a step back.

"What!? You've got a fairy?"

"That's right, Mido. I've got a fairy just like you. I'm not so useless now, am I? Now get out of the way, the Great Deku Tree's summoned me."

"Say what?!" Mido jumped at this as if stung. "The Great Deku Tree actually summoned _you_? Whaaaaat!? Why would he summon you and not the great Mido?" The Kokiri Boss looked off in dismay, not happy at all with the way things were currently going. "This isn't funny..." he muttered.

"I'm not laughing. Now back off."

"I don't believe it. Anyway, you aren't even fully equipped yet! How do you think you're going to help the Great Deku Tree without both a sword and shield ready?"

"There's one problem with your theory, Mido. You don't have any stuff with you either, so who are you to talk?" Link was starting to lose patience with Mido. From Navi's frantic introduction, he figured this errand must be urgent, and now he had his archrival holding him up.

"What? You're right, I don't have my equipment either, but..."

"But nothing! Stop babbling and get out of my way!"

"No way! If you want to pass through here, you should at least equip a sword and a shield! Sheesh!"

* * *

That was the last straw for Link, who angrily turned away and stalked towards the Kokiri Shop. He knew that at least one of the Kokiri—maybe one of the Know-It-All Brothers, he couldn't recall—was skilled at crafting shields from Deku plants. Such shields would be sold at the shop, but mainly as decorations or to defend against particularly nasty creatures like Deku Babas. Since Mido wouldn't let him through without one, he had to go get one.

As he walked into the shop, the shopkeeper leaped up to try and see over the counter. He held himself up with his arms for a few seconds, then dropped down again. After a second try, he managed to hoist himself onto the counter, and he looked across the counter at his customer.

"Welcome! What can I do for you today?"

"I need a Deku Shield," Link said, drawing out his money bag as he spoke. He knew the shield was liable to be expensive, but the money he'd saved over the years would take care of that.

"Ah, I see. Going on an adventure, are we?"

"No, but you can't be too careful. And it would look nice on my wall anyway."

"That it would," the shopkeeper answered, and jumped down from the counter to grab one of the Deku Shields hanging on the wall behind him. The shield was made from the hardest Deku wood available, and had a red spiral on the face. "Anything else?"

"No, just the shield, thanks."

"Alright, then. That will be forty rupees, my friend."

"Okay," Link extracted the amount, a mixture of green, blue and red jewels, and passed them across to the shopkeeper. The short-statured Kokiri counted out the money, and then pushed the Deku Shield over to Link.

"She's all yours, friend. Take care!"

"You too. And if you don't mind my asking, do you know where I might find a sword around here?"

"Well, we don't sell them here, and I don't even know if the Kokiri Forest has any lying around. We've never had much use for them, after all."

"Alright, then. Thanks anyway." Link left the shop, and checked the Deku Shield's feel on his right arm. It felt almost perfect, as if it was a natural part of him. He strapped the shield to his back and began inquiring around the village about a sword. Every villager he asked told him they didn't know of any—the Twins, the Know-It-All Brothers, even the Kokiri girl on top of the shop. Discouraged, he headed back towards his house, hoping Saria would know. She was still in front of his house when he arrived, and she frowned slightly at his arrival.

"What happened? Why are you back so soon?" Her voice was filled with concern.

"Mido wouldn't let me through."

"Why not? He knows that the Deku Tree's word is more important than his petty little grudges!"

"He said I needed a sword and shield to get through; he also ignored the fact that he has neither. I've got the shield, but I have no idea where to find a sword."

"There is one sword hidden somewhere in the Forest. But I have no clue where it was hidden. The sword's forging predates all of us."

"Well, at least there is one. I'd better keep looking for it." Link thought through where he'd gone already, and then it hit him—the Forest Training Centre! He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it before! The area was where the Kokiri went when they wanted to exercise outside of their everyday work, and it was the one place he hadn't looked yet. It was worth a try, so he ran as fast as he could to the fenced area.

* * *

He looked around the Training Centre for any clues, and saw a small hole in the back wall of the area. A sign next to the cutout read _Hole of 'Z'_, and as Link crouched to look through it, he saw a small path on the other side. Looking back and forth to see if anyone would spot him, Link dove to the ground and started to crawl through the hole. The tunnel was a tight fit, but he managed to work his way through and get to the other side.

As he got up and turned, he saw a gigantic boulder rolling right at him. Panicking, Link spun and jumped into an alcove, hoping the rock wouldn't roll into the recess and squash him. The rock rolled along and then stopped, bouncing off the natural barrier and continuing its momentum towards the next wall. Link sighed in relief, then ran hard along the dirt path until he found a branch, then hurried along the next path towards a small tree stump that had a large chest on it.

The chest was situated under a gap in the tree cover, which created a spotlight-esque ray of sunlight that shone as if to point out its significance. Link walked up to it, and pushed the lid tentatively to see if it was unlocked. It was, and Link leaned over the edge of the chest, trying hard not to fall in. As he felt around, his hand happened upon something hard. Instinctively, he gripped the object, and swung himself back out of the chest and looked at what he had taken out.

It was a blue scabbard with a gold covering on the end, but the weapon inside it was what Link cared about. Link grasped the handle at the end, and pulled a short sword from the scabbard. The blade was a bit longer than his forearm, and the hilt was burnished bronze with a jewel set in the middle. Link couldn't believe his luck, and Navi was shocked at what he had found.

"That's the Kokiri Sword! It's a very old, secret treasure of the Kokiri, forged thousands of years ago. Very few forest dwellers know it's here. It must not have even been touched for centuries!"

"Brilliant," Link said, only half-paying attention to Navi's description. He now had a sword, and Mido would let him by. The sword itself was sharp, and had obviously been forged with Kokiri in mind; it felt like a natural extension of himself, like he was meant to carry it. He darted back through the secret area and crawled back through the Hole of 'Z', then took some practice swings at some nearby bushes. The motion was effortless, and the keen-edged steel sliced the bushes cleanly, not snagging on the leaves at all. Satisfied with the sword's cutting ability, Link ran back to Mido's post and faced down his rival again.

* * *

Mido looked Link up and down, his disdain clearer than ever.

"Eh, what's that? Oh, you have a Deku Shield..." Mido trailed off as his eyes moved to the weapon hanging across Link's back. "And what's THAT?! Is that the _Kokiri Sword_?!"

"Yes, it is. Now back off." Mido began tapping his foot as he looked away, then shouted again in frustration.

"GOOD GRIEF! Well," he continued, calming down, "even with all that stuff, a wimp is stil a wimp, right?" Mido pointed at Link angrily. "I, the great Mido, will never accept you as one of us! Shoot! How did you get to be the favorite of Saria and the Great Deku Tree? Huh?" Mido began to grumble angrily, and moved aside to allow Link access to the Deku Tree's meadow.

Link ran past Mido before he could change his mind, and then stopped as he spotted a Deku Baba sticking straight out of the ground. Instinctively, he drew the Kokiri Sword and slashed at its brittle stem. He heard wood snap as the Baba fell to the floor, and he grabbed the stick it left behind; somehow he got the feeling he might need it. The remainder of the corridor was clear of any hostile creatures, so he raced through before anything could surprise him. When they reached the grotto, Navi flew ahead of him towards the enormous tree in its centre.

"Great Deku Tree, I'm back!" she called, getting the tree's attention instantly. The spirit mumbled a bit, then recognized his friend.

"Oh, Navi...thou hast returned." Turning his attention to Link, he continued. "Link...welcome."

"It is an honour to meet you, Great Deku Tree." Link answered, inclining his head.

"And I thou. Now, listen carefully to what I, the Deku Tree, am about to tell thee..." Link nodded, and the tree went on. "Thy slumber these past moons must have been restless, and full of nightmares..."

_'You don't have to tell me twice.'_ Link thought to himself. _'They won't go away.'_

"As the servants of evil gain strength, a vile climate pervades the land and causes nightmares to those sensitive to it. Verily, thou hast felt it...Link..."

"Yes, Great Deku Tree?" Link asked, realizing that the tree was about to reveal its reason for summoning him.

"The time has come to test thy courage...I have been cursed...I need you to break the curse with your wisdom and courage. Dost thou have courage enough to undertake this task?"

"Of course. Whatever curse has taken hold of you, I'll break it." The Deku Tree's 'mouth' then lowered, forming a huge entrance.

"Then enter, brave Link, and you too, Navi. Navi..."

"Yes, Great Deku Tree?" Navi already knew what the tree would say, but listened nonetheless.

"Thou must aid Link...and Link..."

"Great Deku Tree?"

"When Navi speaks, listen well to her words of wisdom." The tree fell silent, and Navi flew back to Link's side. Link drew his sword, and ran into the darkness to the inside of the Great Deku Tree.

* * *

**Aaaand there we go. A bit longer than the other two chapters, but I wanted to keep the current tradition of cliffhanger endings going for a while. Next chapter will see Link try to break the death curse on the Deku Tree, so you've got that to look forward to. Please do read, REVIEW, and let me know how it was! I'm hoping to run this all the way to the end this time, so the feedback keeps me going (that and a ton of black tea ****ツ****). See ya then!**


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